


Nothing but your boots

by Llixale



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Strippers & Strip Clubs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-05-07
Packaged: 2019-05-03 12:04:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14568636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Llixale/pseuds/Llixale
Summary: “You have some arguments that I don’t have, even with the serum” Steve makes a general move with his hands.“And what would they be?” Sam asks suspiciously.A story where Sam needs a very specific skill to help Bucky during a mission.





	Nothing but your boots

 Steve is walking with determination. He didn’t like to put his “Cap on” mode on his friends but it is a matter of life or death…well, not exactly, but that's the idea.

He stops in front of Sam’s door in the compound, feeling nervous. Knocks. Three times exactly.

The door opens on Sam, looking pretty good as always.

“You need my help?”

Steve enters, closing behind him and follows Sam in the living room.

“Yes”

Sam is facing him, patient, waiting for him to provide more information. Which he is about to do, as soon as he can manage to let the words out.

“It’s about Bucky”

Steve sees the exact second Sam starts rolling his eyes. The man loves pretending Bucky’s very existence is annoying him sometimes. Sometimes only, because most of the time, he forgets to be bothered and enjoy the other man’s company like any friend would do. Except maybe with more stolen glances when he thinks nobody will notice. Steve knows Sam well enough to notice the tension in his friend each time Bucky is there. He simply isn't sure if it is a positive or a negative thing.

“We will have an occasion to break into Montero’s data in a week. He will offer a special show to Bucky’s for his birthday. I mean, his cover’s birthday”

“So?” Sam asks, eyes already suspicious. What is the link between Bucky’s mission and me?

“So he needs a distraction during the…party. A really good one. Plus, we need to deliver him this so we can hack into his target’s database” Steve finally explains. Showing Sam a small device not bigger than a candy.

“Can’t you just, I don’t know, throw some bombs and use the confusion to give him that?”

“They will be in the target’s Club. Magdalena. It’s uh…kind of…”

“I know exactly what kind of club this is Steve” Sam tone’s is almost accusatory. Steve can’t bring himself to be offended, after all, Sam knows him very, very well and he can probably tell Steve is trying to say something he isn’t going to like.

“Okay, so, here’s the thing, you have to distract everyone in the place and find a way to give this to Bucky while I will clean the two floors below, that's where his office is”

“And how exactly I am supposed to distract thirty or forty people at once Steve, in such an “exotic” place?” Sam crosses his arms on his chest, looking ready to eat Steve in one bite.

“Listen, I know I am asking you a lot but you’re the only one who would fit the…ambiance. No, the…uh…the clientele…you see…”

“Whatever you’re trying to make me do, why don’t you do it?”

Steve scratches his head, he doesn't want to play “that” card but he has no other choices.

“You have some arguments that I don’t have, even with the serum” he makes a general move with his hands.

“And what would they be?” Sam questions suspiciously.

“Your ass, Jesus Sam, you have a great ass and a great…rest of body. Come on, you always say I have no booty, you really think I can keep them busy for long? I can’t dance to save my life and you know how I love Bucky, but I can’t dance to save his life either”

Sam is so surprised he forget to answers for a long painful minute.

“Wait a minute, are you saying that I have to…”

“You need to draw their attention, whatever you choose to do. But it’s kind of an adult club so there’s that. Beside, we estimated that we have four to five minute to access his private room where his laptop is. I will be quicker to get his men out of the way and your face is way less recognizable”

Sam is frozen for a moment his hands slowly coming to his hips.

“You want me to Magic Mike them?!”

Steve mouth open, then close. He has seen Magic Mike with Sam, Wanda and Natasha the month before. He needs to convince him quickly.

“Yes. Please, it’s for Bucky. And why are you even surprised, do you really think he wants to see me half naked?”

“He sure as hell doesn’t want to see ME, STEVE” Sam’s voice rising at the end.

“Look, you’re my only hope”

Sam can't believe it. His only hope? Really? Steve comes to him, biting his lips, making puppy eyes at maximum volume. His hands are on Sam’s shoulders.

“Please, Sam. I need you on this”

“You owe me Steve, remember that, you owe me forever. FOR EVAH”

Steve starts nodding and smiling. He knew he could count on his best guy.

“Yes, whatever you want”

“Oh, I know Steve. I know”

 

 

So Sam has a week to be able to captivate an audience of libidinous men and do such a good job that he would be able to go to Barnes, give him the device without anyone noticing and make sure Steve would get the proper cover.

He reviews his possibilities, alone, making sure to come with a coherent plan before making his next move and asking the right person for help.

 

 

“Thank you for meeting me on such short notice”

The room is luminous even without any window to the outside world. It’s large enough to have ten people dancing freely without touching each other’s.

“You said it was an emergency” Sungah welcomes, stretching and pulling her long black hair into a ponytail.

Sam looks annoyed but she doesn't mind. Spending time with his old friends was harder since he became an Avenger, especially when he was on the run. Now, with things settling down, what better occasion to see your dancer friend than asking advice and skills for stripping?

“Basically, I need to learn how to strip and really dance in a week. Like, breath taking level”

“Is it for someone specific?”

She doesn’t even look surprised, only interested with a polite smile.

“No…not really. I need to be able to get all eyes on me, in a club”

He tries to give her some context without telling her about the mission and with the less lies possible. She is thoughtful, nodding at some points and asking for precision.

“Ok” she finally says “I just send a message to my friend Ken, he is coming to help too. In the meantime, let’s see what you got”

She starts playing some pop music Sam isn’t familiar with. He wasn’t mentally ready to peel off some layer so the first try is a disaster. When the Ken in question comes, some energetic androgynous twenty-ish boy comes with amber skin and green locks, he is even less confident in himself.

“Okay, maybe we should show you first how it’s done. It’s all about the attitude” Ken interrupt, shaking his head.

Then he proceed to get out of the top of his head two routines, one who would necessitate Sam to be really more in touch with his feminine side and one very “me-steal-yo-wife” in the macho department. Each time, Sam can't take his eyes out of him. He isn't even dancing for him. He is enjoying himself in front of the large mirror, alternating poses, dramatic drops and hip hop moves along the way.

After that, Sungah shows some moves too, no less captivating, commenting and asking question along the way to define more accurately Sam's confort zone.

He needs work but a part of him wants to succeed. Not because of the mission or Bucky Barnes (never), but because it's a challenge with himself.

They doesn’t have that much time so Sam takes upon himself and strip to his underwear in front of them. Each time with more confidence until he got himself free and starts to be as extra as them.

“Good, now, do you have a song in mind? Be mindful of the kind of place you’ll be in. You can’t pop Cotton eye Joe in a club like O’Prix or The Vava” Sungah asks as Sam end up on the floor, clothes all around him.

Ken then proceeds to give him some example of songs who are great to dance on but not so much to strip. After twenty minutes and some negotiation “No, you can’t do Pony, it’s tacky” Sam finally agrees on a remix of three songs. Ken is the first to go, then when Sungah puts an end to the cession, she advices Sam about the clothes he has the intention of wearing. Needless to say, she pointedly give him the number of another friend of her to help on that department.

 

“So, are you ready?” Steve demands while putting on his uniform in the van driving them to the club.

Sam doesn’t feel ready at all. He needs to pass for a gogo dancer when he never striped in front of an audience beside Sungah and Ken in his life before. Having to do it and well enough to make sure Bucky and his target are exactly where they need them to be for as long as they need them to be was making him more than nervous. Natasha may not have been available for the mission, she still made sure everyone at the club would know about Sam’s coming and arranged the little backstory about Sam’s cover persona.

The plan is tight and a good part of it's success depends on him. He checks his bag one last time to make sure he has everything he needs.

“You know Steve, you will never be able to pay that debt”

The blond looks grave, putting his hand on Sam’s shoulder once again.

“I know I am asking you a lot. But I also know you are a beautiful man and no one beside you would be able to pull it off. I trust you”

Sam shakes his head, going out of the van the second it stops near the club, bag on his back.

He can do it.

Entering by the employee’s door, the sound coming from the main place is muted. Several people are working backstage between two technicians, the makeup artist, and the dancers. It's his second time here after coming the day before to introduce himself and make one more repetition on site (plus make some recon for Steve).

He wonders if his plan isn't a little ambitious but it's too late now, he needs to get ready soon.

 

 

It’s been a month. Bucky has been with that fucker of Dominique Montero for a whole month. It wasn’t that Montero was a criminal, but he sure did love to make business with shady people. Bucky was supposed to be one of the best hitman of North America here for the protection of Montero since he attracted the interest of the wrong kind of people.

So far, Bucky had prevented three murder attempt. Because the last one coincidently allowed one of his concurrent to be investigated by the police, Montero had found in Bucky’s “birthday’ the perfect occasion to show him his gratitude.

“I believe you never been in my club Tobias?” Montero asks as they enter the building. Everyone welcome him and his suite immediately.

“Never, it’s not exactly my scene” Bucky answers, quickly analyzing the entry, then the whole club inside. Black, red and a lot of neon is apparently the theme. It's close to 1 am, the dancefloor has some people on it, dancing sensually to the sound of early 2000's R&B . Of course, they doesn’t mingle with them. They are heading straight to the VIP zone right in front of the scene and higher than the rest of the tables.

Bucky immediately notices that there isn’t a single woman in here as a client. A strange heavy feeling is in the air. As if the club is whispering in your ear something sensual and pushing you to behave a little more boldly than usually. The clients are not overly dressed but clearly, there is a standard here. Two stripper poles are on each side of the dancefloor, occasionally, someone feels more excited than the rest of them and decide to show some tricks.

Montero is talking business and life and everything “Tobias” didn’t asked for. But since it's his “birthday” he plays into his new persona and gave him the attention and interaction he seems to crave.

Someone came to them, whispering something in Montero’s ear. It's too hard to Bucky to hear him because of the music and one of the clique decided to ask him a question at the same time. Montero looks at him with a smile.

“It’s time for the present, birthday boy”

 

 

“Honey, you’re shaking like a leaf”

Sam takes a deep breathe, looking at his colleague (Merengue). The man is so…nice. Always ready to help.

“Yeah, I’m kind of nervous. I guess I need to imagine everybody naked?”

“Oh, hell naw” he laugh, patting Sam’s shoulder and making sure everything is ready on him “don’t forget to get all of your props once you’re out”

Sam nods before making his way to the scene, the thick black curtains masking him from the clients. Steve knew what song would be the signal. Sam doesn't even have the time to see where exactly Barnes is.

Bucky.

Fuck.

He can’t think about him. Not right now. Bucky looking at him…in THAT outfit.

A bit of shame, a bit of arousal.

He gets in place, thinking one last time about the why he is doing this and the advice Sungah and Ken had given him.

“Imagine your facing your enemy. That bitch just stole your wig and you’re ready to end ha, murder ha, obliterate ha because she had the audacity to step on your shoes too” Ken had said, looking like it happened to him just like that.

Sam couldn’t relate but he transposed that to his needs.

“What Ken is saying is that it’s all about the attitude. Even if you fuck up, you need to own it. If you fall?” she demonstrates tripping over something and falling before quickly laying on her back and acting like it was her plan all along.

After that, they had spend the next twenty minutes telling the most ridiculous stories in which they would fall and "bim bam boum, look how sexy I am".

“So, if I am running all by myself, let’s say. And some blond jerk decides to outrun me and I try to give him some of his own medicine but I trip on a leaf…” Sam pretend to fall, rolls and and point his finger face to him “ah ah!”

“Exactly!” Sungah agrees, clapping and looking proud.

Ah, thanks to them, he won’t be a mess.

 

“Gentlemen, it’s time for a surprise guest. Please welcome Velvet Feather!”

The music starts, the curtains opens showing him to the public. His right hand rise until it’s next to his head, an occasion to flex those muscles.

He snaps his fingers one, two, three times. Makes rolls with his body before turning slowly. He doesn’t think about anything else beside the music and his mission even if it’s clear some people appreciate the vision. By the end of the intro, his coat is on the floor next to the exit staircase.

He has a black shirt, a white see-through tank top, a booty short barely fiting, fighting to contain what’s underneath and some brown boots stolen to a certain someone.

It comes to him naturally now, he dances making sure everyone is looking at him. By the end of the first song, he has them salivating.  The shirt is gone.

Song two, he walk through the clients, playing with them, showing them a little more. They eat it, some just a little too much on board with the program. He spots Montero and next to him, Bucky. So what’s left of the song two is dedicated to make sure they want him closer.

And surely, Montero makes a sign to one of his men and a sign for Sam to approach. Without forgetting the rest of the audience, he finds himself in the VIP section.

Tank top is out.

He dances for Montero, make him unzip his short and take it away. The man doesn’t hesitate one second to touch his tights and abs but doesn’t try anything else. Sam is grateful for that. Still, he is eyeing his bulge pretty intensively as if the sole force of his will might make it react. Two of the men with him make appreciative sounds.

Sam winks at them.

Song three comes. It’s his occasion. He gets up, only to sit on Bucky’s lap. Back to his chest at first.

“ _So slide over here, tell me the truth_ ” the song says and one hip movement later, he turns, facing Bucky. He needs to sell it, so here he is, hands taking Bucky’s vest away and making it turn in the air before throwing it away. The public is crazy over the move. Montero is grinning from ear to ear.

“ _I know you love me wearing nothing but your boots_ ’”

And, at that point, Sam is only wearing Bucky’s boots that he took just for the joke and a boxer with so many hole it’s basically a fishnet. He put his hand on Bucky’s cheek, make him look at him and goes in for a kiss.

Bucky answers immediately to it, his hands on his body in something that seems almost possessive.

His lips are so soft.

Bucky open his mouth just as Sam was thinking about it. It’s just enough to drop inside the device he was hiding inside his own mouth the whole time. He got two light taps from a finger to show that Bucky received the message and he slid out of his grip. Short in a hand, dancing away until he is back on scene for the finale.

At the end of the song, the floor is pregnant, probably.

“Maybe that’s how Groot was born” he thinks as the curtains close.

 

Sam is picked up by Steve and they don’t say a word till they’re back to the compound.

“You did great, I think. I mean, I only caught the end but I’m sure people were jealous of that chair”

In the dead of the night, Sam can still see Steve red as a tomato, eyes on the road. Sam felt a rush on that scene, a different kind of adrenaline. Is that how people felt when they were the center of attention?

“You really don’t have to be ashamed you know?” Steve continues “The mission is a success. Bucky will be back in two days and we have everything we need”

Sam wants to say something, anything, but he just keep replaying what he has done in his head.

When he was with Bucky…

Something inside of him is waking up and Sam doesn’t need to take a closer look to know it’s problematic.

“Sam?”

They are still in the car and Sam is biting his lips. His hands tightening around himself. Glitter and oil are on them, making him shinier.

“I need a shower” he finally says before going out of the vehicule, Steve trying to follow him. He stops, looks at his shoes.

No. Bucky’s boots.

He take them off.

“Give that back to your friend” he says looking at them as if they were bombs.

“Sam, what’s wrong?” Steve asks, visibly worried.

“Nothing, I’m just…I really need a shower dude so uh…see you later”

“Dude?” Steve repeats in confusion as Sam disappear inside almost running, his bag swinging in his hand.

He will talk to him later, maybe he just needs some rest.

 

 

Turns out, Steve doesn’t see Sam at all the next day and he is so busy himself that he doesn’t have an occasion to check on his friend. The day after that, he is sent to help Bucky and a small team of agents to end the Montero’s mission.

“What are you looking for?” Steve asks Bucky who’s sight goes from left to right since the team had arrived.

“No one, I mean, nothing”

Steve answers with raised eyebrows, not understanding what Bucky is hiding right now. The rest of the team is leaving and soon enough, they are alone, going away from the building Montero works in.

“Is everyone okay?”

“Well, Vision asked me for dating advices, can you imagine? Natasha tried to convince Bruce to take Salsa lesson. Oh, Peter is coming tomorrow I think. We had a message from Mantis and Gamora, they were warning us that some…”

“Sam! Steve, jesus, is Sam okay?” Bucky cracks, not seeing the end of it. Steve really was talking about everyone BUT the only one he wanted to right now.

At least, Steve takes the time to think about it.

“Actually, I wanted to go talk to him yesterday since he looked kind of shaken after his…number. We can go together if you want”

“Yes. I mean, if that’s okay with you. Not that I care that much, you know. But he did participate. In the team effort I mean…and what an effort” Bucky starts rambling as his eyes seems less focused on Steve and more in the memories of Sam in that club.

Steve can see clearly in that face, when they were younger and Bucky was smitten by a lady, he had that kind of reactions. He wasn’t sure what Bucky was feeling about Sam. Not because he was a man, but because while he did saw Bucky flirt with people since he got better, it seemed more for the game, proving himself as being capable of doing it than because he had a deep interest in them.

Just to gauge his reaction, Steve answers “Do you think “he” wants to see you?”

Bucky eyes are laser focused on Steve in an instant. If Steve just insulted his entire family, he wouldn’t look so cold.

“What do you mean? Did he say something?”

“…”

“…”

“……”

“Steve!”

Steve starts laughing, clapping his best friend on the shoulder.

“Wow, you really like him uh? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I said no such things” Bucky spites, getting away from him “Now let’s go, we don’t have all day”

 

 

Bucky is regretting his offer to go with Steve. The man is glowing with his assurance that Bucky has some feelings for Sam. He doesn't need to address it directly, the way he proposed for Bucky and himself to freshen up before going to Sam was loud enough.  Unfortunately, his ponytail, black t shirt and black jean, a look basic af still earned him a grin from Steve.

“Hey, Sam told me to give you these back. I believe he used them during his show?” Steve casually drops while showing him his brown boots near the door.

The brown boots.

“ _I know you love me wearing nothing but your boots_ ” he remembers. A little too well, a little too much.

He coughs, trying to mask his embarrassment but Steve look like one of those monkeys always up for some troubles and could smell his awkwardness.

“Can I take them for…”

“No”

Steve smiles then, shaking his head and giggling while opening the door. Bucky wants nothing more than kick him to shut him up.

 

 

They were all three of them in Sam’s living room and Bucky noticed right away that Sam wasn’t looking him in the eye.

At all.

He did talk to him, but even when his face turns toward him, his eyes are looking away. At least, he isn't the only one embarrassed.

“…So we got everything we need thanks to both of you. Good job. Oh, while I’m at it, we hacked their camera during Sam’s intervention so I have the only original surveillance feed here” Steve announces casually while showing a small USB in the palm in his hands.

Steve cannot believe the way both Bucky and Sam stops dead in their track and slowly turns toward him, eyes on his hand. Before he can say anything else, Bucky throws the mug he had in his hand toward him, knocking the USB away. Sam throws himself on it. Steve tries to block him but is tackled down by Bucky. He manages to stop him only for Sam to literally jump over the two men, take the first heavy object within reach (a piece of his equipment) and smash the key again and again till it’s only pieces left.

“Now, let me be perfectly clear you two. We will not talk about this. If I ever, EVER learn that there’s another copy of that thing, it will be on you both and I’m not playing”

Just because Sam doesn't “look” furious didn’t mean he isn't. They knows that much. They both got up, and Steve, apparently not learning his lesson doesn’t let that die.

“Sam, why don’t you just tell us what the problem is? We all did things we don’t see as glorious but it was necessary”

“Can you guarantee that people would still respect me if they saw that?”

His eyes darts for a second to Bucky. Enough for them to see it and understand that this is about him too.

Steve, not even pretending to be subtle just says “I think you two should talk. See you later Sam”. On his way out, he opens his arms for Sam to hug him, just to check if there are some bad blood between them but Sam does hug him and thanks him too.

 

Bucky is looking at Sam close the door then come back where he was a few seconds later.

“You care. About what I think” Bucky expresses, a soft realization that hadn’t hit him until now.

“Unfortunately, yes”

“Sam…I really don’t think less of you because of that show. First of all, it was a mission, you did what you had to do. I understand it might not have been pleasant for you…”

“Actually, I don’t know how I feel about it” he admits, looking at Bucky’s eyes for a second “I’m not used to that kind of attention you know? Same with showing my body. But I did worked hard to make it kind of good and it was nice to see people pleased. I just…you were there”

“I’m sorry?” he first say. Framing it initially as a question before thinking that this is not what he feels “Well, I’m not sorry to have been there. Come on, you saw how everybody looked at you. I’m not blind, I have too very well-functioning eyes” he pauses, thinks better than not telling the whole truth to Sam and admits “You were beautiful. You are beautiful. I’ll admit, I was hard the second I recognized you on that scene”

“Stop, you lying” Sam laughed, visibly better and receptive to Bucky’s word. Even if he doesn’t take him seriously.

“I’m not. Montero was so disappointed when he couldn’t find you afterward but I knew I would get to see you again. Gosh, when you came to me, that song…the moves…I knew you were sexy, I knew but at the same time, I didn’t, you know what I mean?”

“You’re messing with me”

Sam wants to trust Bucky on it, he knows he is trying to cheer him up but the idea of it being all real is better. A little scary, but better.

“I swear” he passes his hand in his hair, smiling to himself “listen, I’m gonna go but believe me, you were breath taking”

He doesn’t dare touch Sam while passing him to go to the door, if the man wants to come to him, he will do it.

He just casually admitted his attraction toward him but it didn’t felt like a big deal. It’s not exactly news but it was only secondary in his mind. Seeing Sam in that club had been an “experience”.

These moves…

Is this against the “Bro code” or whatever Scott tried to explain to him to “do it” while thinking about their friend?

Well, first of all…Sam And him aren’t Bro, aren’t friend, well…kind of. They are something. Something else. He doesn’t know what. And if he doesn’t know. He can do whatever he wants right?

In the privacy of his room, he laughs at his own mess once done, surprised by the amount he needs to clean.

 

Bucky is able to keep is crush on Sam without doing anything about. This is not the case for Steve Rogers who is visibly trying to ignite the subject for a week now. A full week of Sam apparently putting the whole story behind and Steve constantly shaking his head as soon as Bucky and Sam are in the same room.

Steve can be really annoying when he wants to say something and you don’t give him the opportunity, so he often sigh to one of them staring in the distance. Bucky had years and years to get used to that behavior. He notices and just let him do it, hoping that whatever Steve wants to communicate, he will just drop it. Unfortunately, he only gets more and more irritating with time passing until Sam snaps at him after mission the three of them plus Natasha were coming back from.

As soon as they were out of the car Sam almost broke his neck looking at Steve after the last sad sight and pouting combo.

“WHAT?”

“What, what?”

“What is your problem? Why are you sighting and sighting like that? What do you want Steve?”

“Me? Nothing”

“Okay, God” Sam says before going toward the main entrance, Natasha and Bucky almost already there. It is before Steve decides to speak again.

“You know Bucky was serious right? He told me he told you about his feelings and…”

Sam just can’t with him anymore. He shouts Bucky’s name, earning him a few glare. Bucky looks at him with raised eyebrow as Sam walks quickly to him. He seems angry and ready to fight. Bucky doesn’t understand why, he didn’t do nothing wrong recently…he thinks.

Steve follows Sam like a curse and Sam, as soon as he gets to Bucky take him by the collar and kisses him on the spot. Before Bucky can properly start to answer to the kiss, Sam stops it. Bucky wants to ask what is happening but Sam turns to Steve and declare:

"Here, happy now?”

Steve doesn’t even have the decency to pretend that this wasn’t his plan all along.

“Well, I am. Buck’, you’re good?”

Bucky makes a small noise of agreement, face red, eyes fixed on Sam.

“Let’s date” Sam says not even sounding less angry.

Bucky does the same sound again, mouth open and eyes bulging.

“Good, let’s go back to my place, I need a shower” he adds, already taking Bucky’s flesh hand and dragging him along.

Steve and Natasha can see a thumbs up from him as they pass the glass door of the compound.

“Rogers, sometimes, I think you have issues” Natasha comments dryly.

“Are they, or are they not together?”

She just rolls her eyes and leave him beaming like this is the best day of his life.

 

“Soooo did you do that just because of Steve or…”

“Bucky, if you want to talk about Steve, get out of my damn shower, now turn around, I’m going to shampoo you”

Bucky does as told, a smirk on his face as he feels Sam body against his own.

 

 


End file.
